The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1887-12-02
The Egis & telligencer
Bel Air, Md, December ., 1887.
DEER CREEK FARMERs' CLUB.
saving and Feeding Fodder.

Yirdin, Thos. A. Hays, Isaac Wilson, AuRustu
smith,, Robert Stephenson, VIM. Stephenson
L. G. Hopkins of Lee aud Turnbu Mardoch.
Benz. Silver, Jr., WIN. ID. Lee and James Lee,
committee appointed to inspect the farm, report
ed that the place appeared to be in good ORDER
Mr.. Hopkins had n acres in field corn. which
yielded IL barrels To the acre. and has all his corr
and fodder housed. From acres OF sugar corr
he raised q tons. which sold for 1926. His sugar
corn paid him better than any crop he had in this
year: Mr.. HOPKINS barn, which is very large
The topic discussed at the meeting was the
Saving and feeding Of Corn Fodder"
Mr.. VIM. b. Hopkins said fodder should be
thoroughly ripe before it is cut. lie feeds fod-
der in the stalk, believing IL pays better than to
cut II, and finds no difficulty about hauling out
the manure. as the cattle tread 1t over aud cut
IL up even finer than straw. Cutting fodder is
TOO expensive.
r. Harris Archer also thought fodder should be
ripe when cut. The incest way to feed II, when
no meal is ted, Is in the field, on grass sod. II
meal Is fed he would put the cattle in the stable
aud feed the fodder there. There is more or less
waste in cutting fodder, as the cattle do not eat
IL clean. If he had a cutter and horsepower and
was feeding meal he would cut the fodder, ON
acc unit OF the convenience of handling IL. Eod-
der will keep better II put up In large shocks in
the field and should not be hauled in too soon.
Isaac Wilson would rick his fodder in short
sections and commence TO take down the end last
built. He likes feeding 1t on sod, IN any weather,
but of course prefers feeding 1t in tue stable in
wed weather.
E. G Hopkins of Lee, thinks fodder should be
ripe when cut; would put 1t up in small STACKS
and feed II in the field.
Geo B. silver would cut fodder fully ripe and
thinks cattle will do better il fed IN the field but
believes fodder will go furtherf fed 10 the stable.
). Martin BaylesS also would have fodder per-
fectly ripe. especially sugar corn fodder, aud
prefers feeding on sod, but as cattle tramp the
fields too much when the ground is soft, from
the last OF December TO spring ne feeds in the
barn yard. Hauls his fodder to the barn and puts
IT, up IN ricks. He also winters horses on fodder,
giving them fodder with mess in the evening
and hay in the morning, with an ear or two OF
corn. Sugar corn fodder IS good for change,
aud ne likes to give cattle hay occasionally diir.
IA flo
put on some years. 400 lbs. by the first of October
He leeds little meal, also, IN boxes around the
ed out on grass.
James Lee said fodder ought to got ripe before
being cut. He cuts all of his fodder Mr. Lee
kinks he will make more on his cattle which
were fed out on fodder. last winter, than on those
Kept In the stable and fed on grain. Those fed
out are brought into The BAN yard every night
He haus manure directly frC IN { ne barn yard and
spreads II on the fields even n 'ozen ground or
on snow, and has seen a ark ID difference in
favor OF spreading II on grass mmdiate,y v, in
stead of letting 1t remain N the barn yard all
winter
Thos. A. Hays said he woud let fodder get
fairly ripe and haul it in as soon as he could put
ting 1t In the barn in ricks II feeding IL In the
barn he would prefer to cut 1t TOUR or five inches
long, When cut short 1t will make the cattles'
mouths sore. II he were feeding 1t in the field
would feed 1t whole and would feed in the field
only when the ground Is dry: He prefers a mix
ca reed Tor STOCK whether of grain or provender
lie would also cut fodder for horses.
nen], SILVER, Jr, said as soon as corn is fit to
lTl,
weather not wet 1t will keep better put in dry
II you nave no barn room 1t had better be ricked
tnan ieIt In shocks. sugar corn fodder must
NOT De housed too soon the sap must be allow
ca 70 dry out. There is no advantage in cutting
iodder except the convenience OF feeding 1t in
the stable, and II he had long troughs he
would not go to the expense of cutting IL at all.
cattle eat fodder as well OFF the whole stalk as
wnen cut In pieces. They will eat more of the
stak OF sugar corn fodder than of field corn fod-
der, out there is more feed on an acre of field
corn FODDER than on an acre of sugar corn fodder.
III d4uder ~ cut too soon the blades crumbe aud
mucn OF II is lost. A good way to manage sugar
corn fodder is to put 1t in large stacks and haul
II In stack at time.
George X. stephenson said his experience was
against leaving fodder in the field ali winter on
account OF the difficulty of getting 1t out of the
frozen ground. There IS economy in taking it
In ut the proper season. He thought 1t would be
economical to cut fodder, because the manure
would thereby DO more easily handled, it de-
composes more thoroughly and could be more
evenly distributed. He would rick his fodder
about the yard or put it in the barn. All writers
agree that fodder should be cut little green
there being more nutriment in it then than if al
lowed to get too dry. He was convinced it had
better be put In small shocks and allowed to re-
main out pretty late before being puts in large
stable. NN ~ '"'
David e. Wilson lets sugar corn fodder lie a
nay OF Two on the ground and then put 1t In small
bundles VIII ich are allowed to stand until the
middle or last OF November 1t always keeps
well. He feeds II cut and would rather haveit
than nay Tor horses. Stock are fond of II and eat
~ up clean. Fodder should get pretty ripe be-
lore IL is cut. Sugar corn fodder is also good for
Pr W. W. virdIn asked what the rule is by
"nlen you can Judge when fodder is ripe.
isaac wilson replied that when the husk gets
ornwn on tne ears and the grain Is glazed the
iodier Is 1T to cut.
VIM. G. Wilson likewise believed fodder should
get ripe before being cut. Cattle eat II better
and it breaks up less than when cut green, He
always rlcks bis fodder and never loses any. He
b pu,ids inc ricks all one way and pulls out one
uunuIe aI ume never puts any lengthwse
except course or two in topping or Prefers
feeding 1t in the field but feeds also on the
would ra,b ae 9 9a6 yard In stormy weather
weather there is much waste in feeding fodder
on the ground. He considered an acre OF fodder
latter. NN' "O"iu pi'A'i
:, John 2. Baylees let's fodder get ripe before cut
rinE, especially sugar corn fodder. He usually
TICKS u put has let IL stand out in shocks all win
ter and Il came out bright and good. Sugar corn
fodder should remain out until freezing weather
Held corn fodder for stock. il wonid be a
E ;n pan TO cut sugar corn fodder and keep it
Edward p. Moores commences cutting corn os
soon as 1t is fit and would rather cut It little
20 700 green than TOO ripe The fodder is hauled in
a. soon as the corn Is husked. After the barn is
nled the rest is Kicked and fed to the cattle in the
neld until the last of February or the LIST of
Warren. Then the cattle are taken into the barn
yard and red from racks once day There is no
trouble In getting out the manure. Fodder is a
better feed than hay for horses
YIN. ID. Lee said fodder ought to get moderate.
" ripe before being cut. He prefers to make
me shocks of good size so they win stand up we'll
II ary enough when husked he hauls II in Does
otike 70 iet ram get on it, 1t is good feed for
horses. If he had the necessary ARRANGEMENTS
would prefer cutting to feeding It whole as he
ing a saving OF feed and of labor in hauling the
X. John Rogers said the husks should be pret-
brown before the fodder is cut. IL cut too
green there is waste and 1t moulds II is his Gus
tom to get corn husked as soon as possible and
haul the fodder to the barn as soon as he can
a, S nus huskhg; There isno better provender for
a
II have better wind and keep in better condition
than on anything else. He thought there is a
good zeal OF waste In cutting, because portion
OF the blade cleaves to the stalk and when cut
an lnch or two from the joint this part of the
o,ad ,e Is LOST. fed whole the stock will strip
on the entire blade He feeds long fodder in the
barn yard. 1t Is important to feed 1t where cat
tie can not run over it. 1t is economy to have
that has been frosted more readily than anv
other kind, but more OF the blades are lost after
II Is touched with frost than where 1t has been
frost. NV 'uo'o''ou u
James W. Hanna thought 1t should get pretty
way to feed 1t than in racks of rails. A neighbor
cuts every bundle in two In the middle with a
broad axe axe, for cattle. The manure is thereby
!, George Il. Silver said he agreed with most OF
the members as to the time of cutting vet his eY-
perience this year is against it, His last plant
ing of sugar corn was on ground he Intended 70
SOW IN wheat. Consequently. in order to get il
ready Tor wheat 1t was the first corn cut and it
indeed, not being fully matured. He expected
inc fodder to be worthless, but to his surprise
and qualification IL is the brightest and best fod-
der he has. He considered sugar corn fodder lar
superior, bundle for bundle of same size to horse
corn fodder. 1t is more nutritious and there ia
less waste about it, More feed can be obtaiaed
out OF fodder fed whole than by cutting il. He
mas abandoned cutting 1t except when feeding it
IN stalls and u he had the stalls arranged to feed
II IN the bundle he would not cut any He pre-
fers feeding on good sod to feeding in the barn
yard, but cattle injure sod in wet weather.
Keeps MS FODDER in the barn and feeds in the
yard. which is well Uttered with straw Corn
fodder Is excellent for horses and mules He fin ia
no alihculty IN hauling out the manure in the
spring GOV. Hamiltons method he said is to run
the fodder through an old threshing machine nv
which 1t Is bruised, and the manure can then be
hauled out more easily. Sugar corn fodder pro-
perry saved is almost equal to hay. 1t must
day. - VA =" 1''''p
Johns II; Janney,s experience was similar to
MT ollVers. The last two years his latest crop
OF sugar corn had been planted on ground in
tended for wheat. 1t was therefore the last pull
ca ana hrst cut up. 1t has turned out the best
he mad cut both field corn fodder aud sugar corn
FODDER ana from the former he got enough stalks
to bed his cattle, from aIIpar cnrn foj,in.